Switch construction



Au- 6, 1940. N. c. scHELLJr-:NGER 2.210.842

SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Original Filed 0012. 13, 1937 W NEM/IDN Z. Ecke/lnger /3 I n @g =I'l."\ 3659 f @M 'i Patented Aug. 6, 1940 SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Newton C. Schellenger, El Paso, Tex., assignor to Chicago Telephone Supply Company, Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Continuation of application Serial No. 168,685, October 13, 1937. This application August 18, 1939, Serial No. 290,924

19 Claims.

This application is a continuation of the copending application of Newton C. Schellenger, Serial No. 168,685, filed October 13, 1937, and covers a new and improved electric switch, and

more particularly, a switch of the selective multiple contact type.

While the switch of this invention is capable of a'wide variety of uses, it is especially adapted for use in connection with radio tone controls of the stepped type wherein any one of a series of terminals is selectively connected with a single continuously connected terminal.

Tone controls of this type are widely used in automobile radio receivers, the switch being mounted in the control head or panel of the radio. In order to minimize the size of the control head, it is desired to provide a tone control switch operable concentrically with another control, such as, for example, the volume control. This necessitates that the switch be provided with a hollow shaft which should not be connected into the switch circuit.

It is a further object to provide a switch o! this character having a tubular shaft insulated from the switch contacts and drlvingly connected with the contactor of they switch in a manner obviating the possibility of binding.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a switch in which a slip ring coacts with an elongated flxed contact.

It is an additional object to provide a switch of this character in which the movable selective contactor is formed integrally with the slip ring.

It is a further object to provide a construction in which the slip ring is provided with indexing means coacting with the fixed contact.

In general, the tone control is a secondary control, not to be operated by the main knob but by an auxiliary knob or collar adjacent to the face of the control head. This makes it necessary for the shaft of the switch to be tubular so as to permit vthe primary control shaft to extend through it. In many cases, this primary control shaft may carry current or be grounded so that the tubular switch operating shaft must not be connected to any of the switch contacts.

The space availablein an automobile radio control head, and in fact, in many so-called midget radios, is very limited, and hence, to be cornmercially acceptable, it is necessary that the switch be compact in construction.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved multiple contact switch of unprecedented compactness.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a switch in which the slip ring or movable contactor is small in size but adequately resilient to insure proper switch contact wiping action and sufficient contact pressure.

It is a further object to provide a switch small in size, composed of 4but few parts and adapted for commercial production and use.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly dened by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates onecomplete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a plan View of a switch constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an exploded view showing the parts of the switch.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates a base formed of insulating material such as sheet Bake1ite," .and having terminals 6, l, 8 and 9 secured thereto by rivets l0, Il, I2 and I3. The terminals are held against rotation about the rivets by engaging in notches formed in the edge of the base.

The upper heads of the rivets serve as switch contacts to be engaged by the iiattened contact portion I6 of a rotatable slip ring or contacter Il. At diametrically opposite points, the ring or contactor Il has a pair of upwardly extending U-shaped portions or humps I8 which fit snugly in locating notches I9 in a drive disc 20. To provide for these humps," the ring or contactor is blanked out with two straight portions tangent to and connecting two semicircular portions, the straight portions providing the stock for the humps so that when complete, the contactor is substantially circular.

Opposite the contact portion i6, the contactor has a rounded downwardly extending indexing substantially U-shaped portions on` the resilient contactor fitting in said openings of the driver so that the contactor is rotatable by the driver; contact engaging portions on the resilient contactor adapted for engagement with the stationary contacts; and a mounting frame having spaced apart legs, one of which supports the undersurface of the base, and the other of which holds down the driver, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft; the resilient contactor urging the base and driver toward said legs.

3. In an electric switch: a base; a plurality of stationary contacts carried by the base; a rotatable shaft extending through the base; a driver drivingly connected with the shaft and overlying the base; a substantially circular resilient contactor between the driver and the base, the driver having spaced openings therein; integral substantially U-shaped portions on the resilient contactor fitting in said openings of the driver so that the contactor is rotatable by the driver;

contact engaging portions on the resilient contactor adapted for engagement with the stationary contacts; a mounting frame having spaced apart legs, one of which supports .the undersurface of the base, and the other of which holds down the driver, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft; the resilient contactor urging the base and driver toward said legs; and coacting stop means on the shaft and one leg of the frame for limiting rotation of the shaft and contactor.

4. In an electric switch: a base; a plurality of stationary contacts carried by the base; a rotatable shaft extending through the base; a driver drivingly connected with the shaft and overlying the base; a substantially circular resilient contactor between the driver and the base, the driver having spaced openings therein; integral substantially U-shaped portions on the resilient contactor fitting in said openings of the driver so that the contactor is rotatable by the driver; Contact engaging portions on the resilient contactor adapted for engagement with the stationary contacts; and a mounting frame having spaced apart legs, one of which supports the undersurface of the base, and the other of which holds down the driver, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft; the resilient contactor urging the base and driver toward said legs; the driver being of insulating material, and insulating the resilient contactor from the shaft; and the base being of insulating material, and insulating the spaced stationary contacts from the shaft.

5. In an electric switch: a base; a plurality of stationary contacts carried by the base; a

rotatable shaft extending through the base; a

driver drivingly connected with the shaft and overlying the base; a substantially circular resilient contactor between the driver and the base, the driver having spaced openings therein; integral substantially U-shaped portions on the resilient contactor fitting in said openings of the driver so that the contactor is rotatable by the driver; contact engaging portions on the resillent contactor adapted for engagement with the stationary contacts; and a mounting frame having spaced apart legs, one of which supports the undersurface of the base, and the other of which holds down the driver, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft; the resilient contactor urging the base and driver toward said legs; the shaft being tubular and open from end to end.

6. In an electric switch of the character described: a bas; a plurality of spaced contacts carried by the base; a rotatable shaft extending through the base; a drive member connected with the shaft to be rotatable thereby and overlying the base; a resilient contactor between the drive member and the base; means for drivingly connecting the contactor with said drive member whereby the contactor is rotated by the drive member; contact engaging portions on the resilient contactor adapted for engagement with the spaced stationary contacts; and a U-shaped frame having one leg below the base and the other leg above the drive member, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft; the resilient contactor urging the base and drive member against the inner faces of the legs.

7. In an electrical control device, the combination of: a base; a rotatable shaft extending throughA the base; a drive member connected with the shaft to be rotatable thereby, said drive member overlying the base; a resilient contactor between the drive member and the base; a driving connection between the contractor and the drive member; and a U-shaped frame having one leg below the base and the other leg above the drive member, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft; the resilience of the contactor urging the base and drive member outwardly toward the inner faces of the legs.

8, In an electrical control device, the combination of: a base; a rotatable shaft extending through the base; a drive member connected with the shaft to be rotatable thereby, said drive member overlyingthe base; a resilient contactor between the drive member and the base; a driving connection between the contactor and the drive member; a U-shaped frame having one leg below the base and the other leg above the drive member, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft; the resilience of the contactor urging the base and drive member outwardly toward the inner faces of the legs; a stop secured to the shaft adjacent to one leg of the frame; and a coacting stop carried by said leg of the frame.

9. In an electrical control: a base; a rotatable shaft extending through the base, portions of the shaft being cut away; a drive member having portions fitting into the spaces of said cut away portions in the shaft to provide a nonrotatable driving connection between the shaft and drive member; a resilient contactor between the base and the drive member; a driving connection between the contactor and the drive member; a U-shaped frame having one leg below the base and the other leg above the drive member, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft; the drive member engaging the inner face of the adjacent leg of the frame for limiting axial movement of the shaft relative to the frame in one direction; and a stop member secured to the shaft adjacent to the outer face of said leg for limiting movement of the shaft relative to the frame in the opposite direction.

l0. In an electrical control: a base; a rotatable shaft extending through the base, portions of the shaft being cutaway; a drive member having portions fitting into the spaces of said cut away portions in the shaft to provide a nonrotatable driving connection between the shaft and drive member; a resilient contactor between the base and the drive member; a driving connection between the contactor and the drive member; a U-shaped frame having one leg below the base and the other leg above the drive member, said legs having aligned bearings for the shaft;

the drive member engaging the inner face of the adjacent leg of the frame for limiting axial movement of the shaft relative to the frame in one direction; a stop member secured to the shaft adjacent to the outer face of said leg for limiting movement of the shaft relative to the frame in the opposite direction; shoulders on said stop member; and a stop on said adjacent leg of the frame coacting with said shoulders to limit rotary movement of the shaft.

ll. In an electric switch: a base; stationary contact means carried by the base; a drive member adjacent to the base; means for moving the drive member, said drive member having spaced openings; a unitary resilient movable contactor between the drive member and the base, said contacter being approximately circular in shape and having integral substantially oppositely located raised portions engaging in said openings of thedrive member; portions of said movable contactor intermediate the raised portions thereof being located for engagement with the stationary contact means.

12. As an article of manufacture, a resilient contactor for use in radio controls comprising: a single ring stamped from resilient sheet metal having substantially dilametrically opposite portions thereof bulged abruptly across the full width of the ring and in the same direction to provide substantially U-shaped humps on one face of the Aring to provide abutments engageable in suitable recesses formed in a driving member with which the contactor maybe connected; and said contacter being sprung about an axis passing through-,said bulges to project its por;- tions intermediate the bulges outwardly of the plane of said bulges to be resiliently engageable l with suitably disposed contacts.

13. As an article of manufacture, a contactor forV electrical control units of the type used in ,radio comprising: a continuous ring stamped from resilient sheet metal and having substantially uniform width throughout its circumference* and having substantially diametrically opposite U-shaped bulges projecting in the same direction from the general plane of the contactor to provide driving lugs by which the contactor may be rotated and to provide relatively long spring members within a small space; and means on the portions of the ring lying between the bulges adapted for transient engagement with suitably placed stationary contacts.

14. In a multiple contact switch of the character described: a fiat base of insulating material having a hole therethrough; a plurality of stationary contacts on one vface of the base, said contacts being arranged in an arc concentric with the hole; a single collector Contact on said face of the base diametrically opposite said stationary contacts and having a portion lying flat on said face of the base, said portion having holes therethrough arranged in an arc concentric with the hole and substantially diametrically opposite the stationary contacts; an attaching ear on one end of said portion passing through the base and clinched *over the opposite face thereof to secure one end of said portion to the base; an extension on theopposite'end of said portion having a narrow part received in a notch in the edge of the base, and a wider part engaging the edges of the notch at the underside of the base; a contactor having a part riding on said portion of the collector contact and another part engageable with the stationary contacts; and an operating shaft connected with the contactor for turning the same to selectively electrically connect any one of said stationary contacts with the collector contact. l

15. In a control unit: a metal frame havingv a hole; an operating shaft journalled therein, said shaft having circumferentially spaced tongues at its portion journalled in the frame, said tongues having their extremities reduced in width to provide shoulders; a carrier for the control part to be rotated by the shaft having a hole through which the shaft projects and having portions projecting radially from the edge of the hole and engaging in the space betweensaid tongues, said radial projections being seated on the bottom of the slots defined by the spaces' between the tongues and said carrier engaging one face of the frame; a washer engaging the opposite face of the frame and having the reduced end portions of thel tongues received in openings therein so`that the washer seats on the shoulders of the tongues; and the extreme end portions of the tongues being bent down over the washer to hold said parts assembled, the length of the tongue portions between the bottom of the spaces therebetween to the shoulders being slightly greater than the combined thickness of the carrier and the adjacent wall of the frame so that the parts are secured in assembled relation without binding.

16. In a control of the character described: a frame having a wall provided with a hole; a tubular shaft having an end portion received in said hole, said end portion of the shaft being castellated to provide circumferentially spaced tongues and slots therebetween, the bottoms of all of the slots lying substantially in a common plane normal to the axis of the shaft, and said tongues having their end portions reduced lin width to provide narrow extremities and shoulders; a carrier for the rotatable portion of the control having a central hole to receive the tubular shaft and engaging one face of said wall of the frame; lugs extending inwardly from the edge of the hole in said carrier disposed in the bottoms of said slots between the tongues; a washer engaging the opposite face of said wall of the frame and having openings through which the narrow end portions of the tongues project so that the washer seats on the shoulders, said narrow end portions being bent over to secure the shaft and the rotatable carrier assembled with the wall; and the length of said tongues between the bottoms of the slots and the shoulders being slightly greater than the combined thickness of the carrier and the adjacent portion of the frame wall so as to preclude binding of said parts when the narrow end portions of the tongues are clinched down.

17. In a control of the character described: a frame having a wall provided with a hole therethrough; a rotatable operating shaft projecting through said hole; a carrier for the rotatable portion of the control receiving support from one face of said wall and having a hole through which the shaft projects; cooperating means on said carrier and the'shaft preventing endwise movement of the shaft through the carrier in a direction toward the frame wall; a Washer fitted over the end of the shaft projecting from the opposite face of the frame wall and receiving support from said opposite face of the frame wall; cooperating means on said washer and shaft preventing endwise motion of the shaft through the washer in the same direction that endwise motion is prevented between the carrier and shaft, said two motion limiting means being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the combined thickness of the carrier and the adjacent frame wail; and means on the shaft outwardly of the washer to Confine the washer between it and the Second named motion limiting means to thereby hold said parts operatively assembled with the shaft and said carrier freely rotatable with respect to the frame.

18. In a control of the character described: a substantially U-shaped frame having spaced apart legs provided with aligned holes; a shaft journalled in both of said holes; a carrier for the rotatable portion of the control mechanism having a hole through which the shaft projects and engaging the inner face of one leg of the frame; cooperating means on the carrier and shaft drivingly connecting the same and preventing endwise motion of the shaft relative thereto in a direction toward the adjacent leg of the frame; a washer engaging the outer face of said leg of the frame and receiving the end portion of the shaft; cooperating means on said washer and shaft limiting endwise motion of the shaft in the same direction that endwise motion of the shaft is limited by said first named motion limiting means, the space between said two sets of motion limiting means being slightly greater than the combined thickness of the carrier and the adjacent wall of the frame; means on the shaft engaging over the washer to secure said shaft. carrier, and washer assembled with the frame in a manner whereby the shaft and carrier are freely rotatable in the frame; and control mechanism confined between the carrier and the other leg of the frame.

19. In a control of the character described: a substantially U-shaped frame having spaced apart legs provided with aligned holes; altubular shaft open fr om end to end journalled in both of said holes; a carrier for the rotatable portion of the control mechanism having a hole through which the shaft projects and engaging the inner face of one leg of the frame; cooperating means on the carrier and shaft drivingly connecting the same and preventing endwise motion of the shaft relative to the carrier in a direction toward the adjacent leg of the frame; a washer engaging the outer face of said leg of the frame and receiving the end portion of the shaft; cooperating means on said washer and shaft nonrotatably connecting the same and limiting endwise motion of the shaft in the same direction that endwise motion of the shaft is limited by said first named motion limiting means, the space between said two sets of motion limiting means being slightly greater than the combined thickness of the carrier and the adjacent wall of the frame; means on the shaft engaging over the washer to secure said shaft, carrier, and washer assembled with the frame in a manner leaving the shaft and carrier freely rotatable in the frame; control mechanism confined between the carrier and the other leg of the frame; and cooperating stops on the washer and the adjacent leg of the frame for limiting rotation of the shaft and the rotatable portion of the Control mechanism.

NEWTON C. SCHELLENGER. 

